Screw feeder and holder



Nov. 1o, 1953 w* v. Hi 'Avena SCREW FEEDER AND HOLDER 2 N`N Q2 m v M3, a m NM m a wl "m l W 3 0N I. k E

Filed April 4, 1951 5 Y #ww Q kunt @fro/away l Nov. 10, 1953 w.l T. PLAYERS scEEw FEEDER AND HOLDER.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 4. 1951 Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- SCREW lFEEDER. AND #HOLDER vWilliam .T. H. Ayers, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application April 4, 1951, Seria1'No.1219,300

S-Claims. (Cl. 1-49.8)

This vinvention relates `to a Akmechanism for vholding .a `quantity of screws, such as -wood screws, and'feedingzone screw ata time outinto `a position'where it may-be struck-with a hammer tostart it inthe wood, or intosuchsposition where a vscrew-driveror like instrument may be'applied tothe screw, with the primary purpose of automatically feeding the screws into the position -withouthaving to handle the screws by hand insection of a structure lembodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a like view in side eelvation and partial section showing the mechanism in an operated condition;

Fig.3 Vis a view in front/end elevation;

Fig. 4 `is a View in'bottom plan onfan enlarged scale;

F'ig. 5 is a View in horizontal longitudinalsection on the 'line '5--5 in Fig. 1 also on 'anenlarged scale;

Figg is aview'in horizontal .longitudinal .section on the 'line in Fig. "l on fan Venlarged scale;

JFig.`7 .is a view in'top plan .of a deviceiforloading screws into the dispensing mechanism;

tliig is a view inside elevation of the floader mechanism in partial section;

Fig. 9 is a View in transverse vsection on thelline tion ontheline --5 in Fig.,1; .and

Fig. 1l, themodied form,rin-section on wthe lmet- "6 in Fig. 1.

A body `I8 is formed to .have averticallydisposed bore H therethrough at its .forward end portion. iA boss `l2 Vextends rupwardly from the body lll .t0 Ahave -a continuation .of .the bore H extend `therethrough and vcommunicate .with va tube I3 .whichis supportedbyand extends vertically upwardly from the boss l2.

-Back of the .boss l2, thereisapedestal QI' .ex-

.tendingtupwardly-from thefbody l0. vQn the-top side `of thisV pedestal .14 .there is. xed the .forward .end of aplate l5 fwhichextends relatively horizontally therefrom "to .the rear and `above `the .body 10. `A yhandle I5 is nxed on the rearend of the-plate-IE.

A pair of horizontally-.spaced apart-slide rods `Fl and v'IB are-slidablycarried byxthefbody l' to be free to slidein a fore and .aftmanner through thebody I0 inlan upper yportion thereof. The

4rear ends of-these rods I1 and IfS are xedfinfa `head I llz-behind'the bodyl. Thefforwardends of these same vrods rH and I8 are "tied together to ycarry a rcross head .'20 :.on :the :forward side of 4the body I0.

There-are 1a pair of small rods, wire-like in nature 2l fand A22;'*xed fto the cross v,head V20 :to

.extend rearwardlytherefrom in parallel relation and yspaced `apart Aa distance which will cause :,themito have1aJspacingtherebetween less than the diameter of the 'bore 1|.

These ltwo lwires r2| and 22 enterand slide .freely within passage- `ways 23.5and provided in the body lll above :therods I`1 and li8. 'Thisspacing apart of the iwiresif2| and 22 ismadefto beisuchi'thatiit will be slightly greater than the over-all diameter of ythefscrew shank, but llessin diameter than lthe fhead .of the screw, wherebya screw may :hang

betweenthe wires Vtobe supported thereby by lits head resting ion 'the wires. `This -is "indicated in Fig. 1.

The head I9 .carries a pair of horizontally spaced apart rods or wires 25 and26, Fig. 6,'to extend slidinglyinto bores 21 and 28extending entirely through'the body :I'U in `a `fore land 'aft direction, 'thesebores 2'l1and r28intersecting the vvertical'bore I I :so lthat the wires willbe maintained in a horizontally spaced Vapart distance equal toless than the diameter-of thebore Il, thisfspacingbeing such'as will permit'the shank of a screw toextend therebetween, but will prevent the head of the screw'from'passing therebetween.

As'indicatedinFigs. 5 and 6 particularly, the wires-2l and-22 ar-e carried withintheir respective`fbores-23fand 24to have their terminal ends spaced-inwardly fromtheback end ofthe body it! when the cross head '29 is in contact with the frontface of thebody' It. With the same position of the =cross head 120, the wires 25 and .26 are entered in'their respective bores 21-and 28 a distance by their front ends 25a and 26a greater :than is the spacing yof `the ends 2la and 2201,` of 4the wires 2| and 22 from the backfface of'the body I0. `In otherwordsthe endsofthese respective wires 2 I, 22, and 25, 26 are in vertically disposed and spaced apart overlapping relations. It is to be noted that the bores 21 and 28 are located in spaced relation below the bores 23 and 24, Figs. 1 and 2, a distance somewhat less than the over-all length of the screws from their pointed ends to the undersides of their heads.

Normally the head I9 is held in its rearmost position of travel as limited by the striking of the cross head 20 against the front of the body I0. This positioning of the head I9 in its rearmost position is set up by reason of the compression spring 29 which bears between the back side of the body I and the front side of the head I9. The spring 29 is maintained in place by having a push rod 30 extend axially therethrough from a fixed end connection with the head I9 to enter slidingly through a lower portion of the body I0, Figs. 1 and 2. This push rod 30 is centered to travel diametrically across under the lower side of the body I0 centered on the axis of the bore I I. A pair of spring members 3| and 32 are fixed by rear ends in the body I0 to extend downwardly and thence forwardly on each side of the path of the push rod 30 to terminate at a distance in front of the body I0. Preferably the front ends of these members 3| and 32 are formed as indicated in Fig. 4 to grip around the shank of a screw 33. Normally the members 3| and 32 tend to spring into contact by their forward ends one with the other. As indicated in Figs. l and 2, the spaced apart members 3| and 32 extend horizontally from the body I0, and are spaced below the orifice of the bore II a distance sufficient to permit clearance of the head of a screw to pass across under the body I0 after it has emerged from the bore II and is hanging on these two members 3| and 32 by its head. The spacing apart of these members 3| and 32 is made to be less than the diameter of the bore II, and such that the shank of the screw 33 may freely enter therebetween, but the head 34 will rest and be carried by these spaced apart members. The push rod 30 is in the path of the head 34 as it travels between the members .3| and 32.

There is a bracket 35 mounted on the plate I5 to revolubly support a cross shaft 36. On the right-hand side of the bracket 35 and fixed to this cross shaft 36 is an operating lever 31 conveniently located in reference to the handle I6 so that the operator gripping the handle I6 may use his thumb to push downwardly on this handle 31. On the other end of the shaft I6 there is fixed a depending lever 38 which has a nose 39 to come into the path of the head I9 therebelow. The lever 39 travels through a slot 40 provided in the plate I5.

To operate the mechanism so far described. there is a loading device provided as illustrated in Figs. '1-9, wherein there is a box 4| having a floor 42 thereacross, and through which floor there extends longitudinally a central slot 43 just wide enough to permit the Shanks of the screws 33 to drop through that slot, and have the heads 34 suspended on the door 42 on either side of the slot. Screws 33 are dumped into the box 4| and the box is shaken or agitated to cause screws 33 to enter by their shank ends through the slot 43 and be arranged in parallel, vertically disposed alignment with the heads 34 uppermost.

At one end of the slot 43, herein shown at the left end, there is a vertically disposed tube 44 having an inside diameter such that it may receive the top end of the tube I3 on the positioning or dispensing mechanism. This tube 44 is notched as at 45 to permit the screws 33 to slide down the slot 43 when the box 4I is inclined by its right-hand end so that the screws 33 will come into the upper end of the tube 44 in substantially axial alignment with that tube 44 to have their shank ends pointed downwardly, whereby the screws will feed through the tube 44 one after another with the heads uppermost.

By means of the loader device thus described. screws 33 are put into the tube I3 of the dispenser device until the desired number are carried therein. With the tube I3 lled with screws, the lowermost screw 33a, Fig. 1, will be supported between the upper wires 2| and 22.

The lever 31 is depressed to push the head I9 forwardly into contact with the back side of the body I0 to bring the mechanism into that condition as shown in Fig. 2. In this travel of the head I9 forwardly, the wires 2| and 22 are withdrawn from their normal positions across the bore I as indicated in Fig. 5, whereupon the screw 33a is no longer supported thereby, but the wires 25 and 26 have been carried across the bore II, by reason of their overlapping end relations, so that these wires 25 and 26 are presented across the bore before the wires 2| and '22 are withdrawn therefrom. Then the lower screw 33a is permitted to drop down to that position as indicated in Fig. 2 where that screw is supported then by the lower set of wires 25 and 26. A screw 33h is resting on the head of the screw 33a.

When the lever 31 is released to be carried back upwardly by reason of the return action of the compression spring 29, the wires 25 and 26 are withdrawn from their positions across the bore I! which permits the screw 33a to drop downwardly between the lower wires 3| and 32 where again the screw is supported by its head to hang therebetween. When these wires 25 and 26 are withdrawn from across the bore II, the upper wires 2| and l22 travel across the bore II, their ends 2|a and 22a being carried entirely across the bore before the wires 25 and 26 are withdrawn therefrom. This means that these wires 2| and 22 have passed, one on each side, across the outer sides of the shank of the screw 33h so that when the screw 33a drops downwardly, the screw 33h then drops down to be supported by its head on the wires 2| and 22.

A subsequent action follows in that the lever 31 is pressed downwardly again to repeat the operations above indicated, with the further operation of the push rod 30 then pushing the screw 33a forwardly along betwen the wires 3| and 32 to carry the screw then to the outer posiiton as indicated by the screw 33, Fig. 2. Releasing the lever 31 permits the push rod 30 to return to its normal position as indicated in Fig. 1, whereby the screw 33 is then left in the position as shown in Fig. 2. The cross head 20 is likewise back into its normal position in contact with the front side of the body IU so that the screw 33 is in an outer, exposed condition where it may be operated upon either by driving it into wood by means of a hammer or by starting to turn it by means of a screw driver. The handle I6 is employed to guide the entire device about so that the screw 33 is located on the work in the desired position.

To facilitate the locating of the screws 33 on the work (not shown) and to prevent the screws 33y from being accidentally knocked out of its gripping position between the wires 3| and 32, a guide 41 is provided in the nature of a V-like asc-nnen 5 ipieceltofmetalshaving,itssendsmxedzto'thestdes of fthe body lD vtoextend-Lbyia :centralportionfl below the lowermost Lpintf'ofthe'screwri3. That is, the :'entire; dispensing-ideviceimay heflguidediby ,i itsihandle ;l 5 :to rest` the lower-fendi! Smfitlrerguide Z` F14-l `-ontthework, sso thatiitrmayl be'stilted :orzrecke'd .around to "bring'theiscrew 33:'at`ith'e exact iocati'on fdesired.

The device iis shown tin .that arrangemen't 'Jo'f .the operating lever l 31 whereby' thelhandle 'I6 21's to be .gripped `Lby the :left .'hand .fof 1 the :operator .so thatfhemayhold the? ham'meror'screw'driver Vas .he wouldV normally in'his Lrighthand.

Referring to bthe :slightly modified formk 4shown in fF'i'gs. `IO'and 51.1, plates :'50 and :5l/'are fsub'stiitute'd for the wires 2|,-22="and'.f25, 26=respectively, :these .plates being bifurcated .tofhavether spaced fingers 52, 53 onthe plate 5u/and 54,15'5on1the "platerSL VThat is,fthese fingersiin eachinstance 'operate' to intercept "the screws f3 3 l infthef two-'step operation llof dropping fone: screw :at aftim'e'to'the lowerwire or 'fingersfSl andf32. T Tliese plates 50 .and 15! with theirrespective fingers farereciprocated inthe slots 55 and 51, ".beingfsecuredttothe :heads Zilfand 'I9 respectively. The lerrcisfofthe Vfingers'52, 53 areinvertically spaced apart-over- :lapping arrangement with l:the lower fingers 45"4, `55, conforming to 'the same `arrangement "as de- 'scribed in relationtoitherwiresi.|,22 and3|,f'32.

For the purpose of definition,.it is in'tendedlthat l the terms wires.as-appliedltofthe wires $21,252 :and 3 l 32 be interchangeablewithlthefterm ..fin 1 gers carrying the reference numerals 152,553 and 54,55. .Inveitherformithemembers serve in effect as fingers :regardless-'of their cross-section 5 shape and of how .they are mounted.

'While `I have herein4 shown land described my invention in fthe one lform which 'I -have found to be very effective, itis-'obviousthat structural changes may beemployedwithoutldepartingfrom -the-spirit lof the invention, and TI ftlierefore fdo not desire to bellimited tolthatprecise'formlbeyond the limitations which'maybeimposed'by the `following iclaims.

Ifclaim:

"1. A-screw#dispensingfdevic'e comprising a'body fhaving a lpassageway 'normally vertically l"disposed confiningscrews'to endto vhead abutment and down which thescrewsmay slideto'a lower discharge end; a pair 'of "spaced apart y'fingers 7 having Vfree ends shi'ftable across Lvsaid 2'passageway, lthe yspacing 'of "the fingers being Txless 'than the diameter of the heads of 'sai'dfscrews sand suflicient to allow-'the `screwshanksitofenter freely therebetween; a second Vpair:of fingers shiftf ableacross said passageway at a zone below said first fingers, the second pair of fingers having free ends 'shiftable across said passageway `and being spaced Aapart 1a distancel-ess than the diameterof said screws but sufiicient to allow v,the shanks of the screws to enter -freely therebetween; a third pair'of: fingersr extending fromfsaid 4bodyin .fixed positions by vone set of rfreefends, lbelow Asaid Adischarge end of -the passageway, spaced apart one from the other-horizontally less than ,the diameter of the:heads:of saidscrews, but sufficient to allow the shanks of the screws to enter freely therebetween; a push rod reciprocable between said third pair of fingers; means maintaining said first and second pairs of fingers to have opposing ends in vertically disposed overlapping arrangement to have the end portions of one pair enter said passageway before the end portions of the other pair leave that passageway; and means shifting said first and second finger said :push trod :in unison in tithe norder ofisaidlrst 'pair-tof: fingers :being moved to .have -theirndsawithdrawnirom. saidppassageway'; after :fsaidl'second' pairtof .fingers enterbyztheir'ends and traverse thefpassageway, andrsaidpushrod .tra-vfelszibetween rsaidzthird zpair of. fingers away from fsaid dischargefend; saidmaintaining means comprisingi'axcrosshead to which said first pairpf -fingersarafixedrby outerend:.portions, a;;head `to which said second pair of {fingers-are rfixed by their outer :end fp'ortions,.;said :crosshead and fsaid .he'ad being on :opposite sides iof :said body, and :sa'rdiingersbeing vs'lidably l'guided in'said body, fandiri'gid tie :means ibetween and kspacing f'apart said crossheadiand-said head.

i12. Afscrew dispensingdevice comprising a :body 'having fa rpassageway normally vertically 'disposed confiningfscrews 'L to end .toihead abutment Tand idownzwhichthe :screws may slidev to .a vlower L'discharge .end ,'apairof :spaced apart fingers havling .free ends :shiftable :across :said passageway, fthe-spacingfofatheLfngers being less thanrithe 'di- :'ameter of fthe Lheads 'of said rscrews and sufiicient Vto allow `the screw ."'shanks `to enter .freely ftherebetween; aJsecond pair of fingers shiftable iacross.said1passageway at azone below said'first tfingers, the :second 'pair of fingers having free 'ends s'hiftable 'across 1 said i passageway and being 4spacedapart a 'distance less than the diameter of #said/screwsbutsufiicient'to kallow the Shanks `of fthe fscrews kto enter freely ltherebetween; f a third Vpair of ifingers extending from said body infixed -positionsby one set oflfree ends, below'said-disycharge end ofthe passageway, spaced apart one from the other :horizontally 'less lthan the `dif ameter "of the headsof said screws, but. sufficient toallow theashanks of rthescrews toenter freely '.therebetween; `a push rrod reciprocable between l-sai'd `third 'pair Iof fingers; means Ymaintaining '.'saidfrst and second 4pairsiof fingers to havel op- `posingends AinY verticallyldsposed overlapping ar- .rangement'toihave the :endiportions of one-` pair @enter-:said passagewayibeforerthe end portions of tlieotherv pair leavelthatpassageway; and means :shifting lsaid first :rand .second `finger' pairs and -saidpushlrod in unison inthe orderof said first pair Sofngers being .moved `to have their ends withdrawn from saidpassageway after said sec- -ondpairrof fingers' enter by'their ends and traverse the'spassageway,ian'dfsaid push rod travels fbetweenisaidthird'pairiof fingers away from said fdisch'argefend said Ymaintaining means compris- .fing a-crossheady tolwhich'said first'pair of fingers :are fixedbyrouter .end portionspa head to which saidi-secondipair:ofngers areifixed'by theirouter 'fend'.portions; 'saidicrosshead Yand said head being "on opposite s'i'des of said body; andsaid fin- 1-gersfbeing -slidablyfguidedin said* body and rigid ".tieimeansbetweenfand spacing apart said crossfheadfand i said head; -saidapush rod being ycarried by said head; .Pand imeans fnormally `maintaining sai'dfheadrspaced i'from said body to position said first ypairsnf fingers :across saidpassageway and 1withhold2the second 1 pair from 'l thereacross.

:Ascrewidispensing devic'ecomprising a body vhaving a passageway `normally vertically dis- :posed Aconfining tscrews 'to t end to `head-abutment -andfdown`whichthe screwsfmay slide kto a lower discharge end; a pair of spaced apart fingers having free ends shiftable across said passageway, the spacing of the fingers being less than the diameter of the heads of said screws and sufficient to allow the screw Shanks to enter freely therebetween; a second pair of fingers shiftable across said passageway at a zone below said first ngers; the second pair of fingers having free ends shiftable across said passageway and being spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of said screws but sufficient to allow the shanks of the screws to enter freely therebetween; a third pair of fingers extending from said body in fixed positions by one set of free ends below said discharge end of the passageway, spaced apart one from the other horizontally less than the diameter of the heads of said screws, but sufficient to allow the shanks of the screws to enter freely therebetween; a push rod reciprocable between said third pair of fingers; means maintaining said first and second pairs of fingers to have opposing ends in vertically disposed overlapping arrangement to have the end portions of one pair enter said passageway before the end portions of the other pair leave that passageway; means carried by said body shifting said first and second finger pairs and said push rod in unison in the order of said first pair of fingers being moved to have their ends withdrawn from said passageway after said second pair of fingers enter by their ends and traverse the passageway, and said push rod travels between said third pair of fingers away from said discharge end; said maintaining means comprising a crosshead to which said first pair of fingers are fixed by outer end portions; a head to which said second pair of fingers are fixed by their outer end portions; said crosshead and said head being on opposite sides of said body; said rods being slidably guided in said body; rigid tie means between a-nd spacing apart said crosshead and said head; said push rod being carried by said head; means normally maintaining said head spaced from said body to position said first pair of fingers across said passageway and withhold the second pair from tliereacross; said shifting means coinprising a handle, and a lever adjacent thereto to shift said head toward said body; said head spacing maintaining means comprising a spring.

4. A screw dispensing device comprising a body having a passageway normally vertically disposed confining screws to end to head abutment and down which the screws may slide to a lower discharge end; a pair of spaced apart fingers having free ends shiftable across said passageway, the spacing of the fingers being less than the diameter of the heads of said screws and sufficient to allow the screw shanks to enter freely therebetween; a second pair of fingers shiftable across said passageway at a zone below said first fingers, the second pair of fingers having free ends shiftable across said passageway and being spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of said screws but sufficient to allow the shanks of the screws to enter freely therebetween; a third pair of fingers extending from said body in fixed positions by one set of free ends, below said discharge end of the passageway, spaced apart one from the other horizontally less than the diameter of the heads of said screws, but sufiicient to allow the shanks of the screws to enter freely therebetween; a push rod reciprocable between said third pair of fingers; means maintaining said first and second pairs of fingers to have opposing ends in vertically disposed overlapping arrangement to have the end portions of one pair enter said passageway before the end portions of the other pair leave that passageway; means interengaging in fixed manner said first and second pairs of fingers and said push rod as a shiftable unit; and means carried by said body shifting the unit of said first and second finger pairs and said push rod in unison in the order of said first pair of fingers being moved to have their ends withdrawn from said passageway after said second pair of fingers enter by their ends and traverse the passageway, and said push rod travels between said third pair of fingers away from said discharge end; said passageway consisting of a relatively vertically disposed bore through said body, and a screw storage tube having a discharge end aligned with said bore and carried by said body.

5. A screw dispenser device comprising a body having a screw passageway normally vertically disposed and confining screws to passage therethrough in end to head relation; a pair of hori- Zontally laterally spaced apart fingers having free ends shiftable across said passageway; a second pair of horizontally laterally spaced fingers having free ends shiftable across said passageway in vertically spaced and overlapping relation to said first pair of fingers, the second pair of fingers being directed oppositely to the first pair; a cross head on each side of said body, one head having the first pair of fingers secured thereto, and the other head having the second pair of fingers secured thereto; a member spaced from said screw passageway secured to and extending between said cross heads; a third set of horizontally and laterally spaced apart fingers carried by said body, extending across and spaced below the lower end of said screw passageway, to terminate at a distance laterally beyond said body; a push rod slidably guided by the body to travel between the fingers of said third pair; all of said pairs having their fingers horizontally and laterally spaced for receiving the shanks of the screws therebetween and the heads resting across the fingers; the fingers of said first and second pairs having lengths extending from their rcspective cross heads such that the ends of fingers in one pair of traverse said passageway to have finger portions extend thereacross prior to the withdrawal from the passageway of the finger ends of the other pair; and a member interconnecting one of said cross heads with said push rod causing said first and second pairs of fingers and said push rod to move in unison when said push rod is reciprocated.

WILLIAM T. H. AYERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,554,411 Colley Sept. 22, 1925 1,650,278 Kingsbury et a-l. Nov. 22, 1927 1,863,314 Phelps et al. June 14, 1932 1,984,282 Ray Dec. 11, 1934 2,341,014 Blair Feb. 8, 1944 2.540.604 Van Sittert et al. Feb. 6, 1951 

